Kissimmee has much to offer; just ask them

A giant mermaid adorns a store on U.S. 192, in Kissimmee. Many souvenir
stores use giant figures to attract tourists to their businesses along the
highway to Disney World.LAKELAND LEDGER ARCHIVE / 2011

Published: Friday, August 29, 2014 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 8:08 p.m.

As Florida's summer season winds down, tourism officials from neighboring cities are hitting the road, seeking to draw residents to their nearby destinations.

Facts

DESTINATION MARKETING:

City sends van around state to seek visitors

Representatives with Experience Kissimmee, the tourism agency for the Central Florida destination just south of Orlando, visited Florida cities such as Sarasota, Miami and Tampa this week to spread the word about theme parks and other family-friendly getaways near the Disney and Universal Studios parks.

September is easily the slowest month of the year for tourism in Southwest Florida, as the summer Florida drive-in market and international traveler market die down and before the part-time resident season -- often called "snowbird" season -- kicks off in late October.

In Kissimmee, summer is one of the busiest times for tourism, as families from around the world flock to the area for vacations. September, October and November, before the holiday season, are usually the slowest time of the year.

"That's when we want to focus on other Florida residents and show them what Kissimmee has to offer," said Rochelle Siegel, media relations representative for Experience Kissimmee.

Siegel and her team drove around the Sarasota-Bradenton area for two days in their clearly marked "Experience Kissimmee" van.

It isn't uncommon for visitor bureau staff to hit the road and encourage trips to their destinations in nearby Florida cities, said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota, the county's tourism agency.

"We do the same thing both in state and in our domestic and international feeder markets," Haley said.

For example, Haley and other Visit Sarasota staff are in Amersterdam this week promoting Sarasota County as a tourism destination to international athletes competing in the 2014 World Rowing Championships. In 2017, Nathan Benderson Park will host the championship event.

This is the first time Experience Kissimmee officials have promoted their destination in Florida, Siegel said.

"With fall being a slower time of the year for us, we thought it would be a great chance to remind Florida residents of all the exciting things we have going on in Kissimmee," she said.

<p>As Florida's summer season winds down, tourism officials from neighboring cities are hitting the road, seeking to draw residents to their nearby destinations.</p><p>Representatives with Experience Kissimmee, the tourism agency for the Central Florida destination just south of Orlando, visited Florida cities such as Sarasota, Miami and Tampa this week to spread the word about theme parks and other family-friendly getaways near the Disney and Universal Studios parks.</p><p>September is easily the slowest month of the year for tourism in Southwest Florida, as the summer Florida drive-in market and international traveler market die down and before the part-time resident season -- often called "snowbird" season -- kicks off in late October.</p><p>In Kissimmee, summer is one of the busiest times for tourism, as families from around the world flock to the area for vacations. September, October and November, before the holiday season, are usually the slowest time of the year.</p><p>"That's when we want to focus on other Florida residents and show them what Kissimmee has to offer," said Rochelle Siegel, media relations representative for Experience Kissimmee.</p><p>Siegel and her team drove around the Sarasota-Bradenton area for two days in their clearly marked "Experience Kissimmee" van.</p><p>It isn't uncommon for visitor bureau staff to hit the road and encourage trips to their destinations in nearby Florida cities, said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota, the county's tourism agency.</p><p>"We do the same thing both in state and in our domestic and international feeder markets," Haley said.</p><p>For example, Haley and other Visit Sarasota staff are in Amersterdam this week promoting Sarasota County as a tourism destination to international athletes competing in the 2014 World Rowing Championships. In 2017, Nathan Benderson Park will host the championship event.</p><p>This is the first time Experience Kissimmee officials have promoted their destination in Florida, Siegel said.</p><p>"With fall being a slower time of the year for us, we thought it would be a great chance to remind Florida residents of all the exciting things we have going on in Kissimmee," she said.</p>